Mallard Native Inducted Into Central College Hall Of Fame

November 12, 2013

PELLA?- A Mallard native has joined his brother in being inducted into the Central College Athletics Hall of Fame.

Mark Kacmarynski, who now resides in West Des Moines, was inducted into the Central College Athletics Hall of Honor in September as part of Central College's 2013 Homecoming festivities.

Mark Kacmarynski is a 1996 Central College graduate, who earned the honors as Central's all-time leading rusher with 5,855 yards during his collegiate career for the Dutch, which spanned the seasons of 1992 through 1996.

Article Photos

CENTRAL?COLLEGE?HONOREES - These four Central College alumni were inducted in the the Central College Athletic Hall of Fame during ceremonies on Sept 28. Inducted were Brian O’Donnell ’70, in front; and in back from left to right, Mark Kacmarynski ’96 (football), Cindy (Kline) Olson ’88 (women’s golf), John Bermel ’84 (men’s golf). - Submitted photo

In that time, Kacmarynski, playing as a tailback, averaged 6.3 yards per carry and also had 100 rushes during the 1994 season. Kacmarynski averaged 174.1 yards per game during that 1994 season, and averaged 133 yards per game through his collegiate career. He had 14 consecutive games of over 100 rushing yards and three consecutive games where he rushed for over 200 yards. His best single-game performance came during a game against Simpson in 1994, when he gained 248 yards in the contest.

All told, Kacmarynski rushed for 100 yards or more in a total of 30 football games, and rushed for over 200 yards in nine contests. He played three seasons with over 1,000 yards of rushing, with 40 rushes in a game against Luther in 1996, on his way to amassing a total of 928 rushing attempts at Central College.

Kacmarynski scored five touchdowns in a game against Dubuque in 1995 and 21 rushing touchdowns in 1994, when he ran 236 times to gain 1,741 yards during the season.

During his high school career at Mallard and West Bend-Mallard, Kacmarynski rolled up 4,881 rushing yards, 81 touchdowns and 490 points in three years of play, and earned him All-State selections in 1990 and 1991.

Kacmarynski was a two-time consensus All-America honoree and National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III National Player of the Year finalist.

Following graduation, Kacmarynski competed in three NFL training camps after signing free agent contracts. He was with the Chicago Bears' camp in 1997, with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999 and the Indianapolis Colts in 2000.

He later signed with the New York Giants but then was not given a spot at the camp. The Eagles assigned Kacmarynski to NFL Europe and he played for the Frankfurt Galaxy, which went on to win the 1999 World Bowl, although he missed the championship game with a broken jaw. He then played with Amsterdam in 2000.

Kacmarynski's brother, Rich, was inducted into the Central College Athletics Hall of Honor in 2011, and the brothers are the first siblings in the history of Central College to receive the distinction.